Ingredients:
• 2 cups Rice (washed and soaked in salted water for 15 minutes)
• 1 Bay Leaf
• 2 Cloves
• 1-inch stick Cinnamon
• 1tbsp Butter or Ghee
• 1 carrot, chopped
• 10 French beans, chopped
• 1/2 cup fresh Green peas
• 1/4 cup fresh cauliflower, broken into florets
• 2 onions, thinly sliced
• 1 capsicum, sliced thinly
• 1/2 cup Tomato puree
• 2 tbsp Tomato ketchup
• 1 tsp white Vinegar
• 1 tsp chilli sauce
• salt to taste
• 4 tbsp oil
• Grind to paste:
• 2 Green chillies
• 1/2-inch stick cinnamon, broken
• 2 Cloves
• 4-5 peppercorns
• 1-inch piece ginger, chopped
• 1 tsp Cumin seeds
• 1 tsp Red Chilli powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
Method:
- Boil carrots, French beans, peas and cauliflower. Drain and reserve the liquid. Keep both aside till required.
- Heat one tsp oil in a pan and add the sliced capsicum. Stir fry for a few seconds and take off the fire.
- Cool a little and add ground paste, vinegar. Mix well, empty and keep aside.
- Add 2 tbsp oil to pan and heat it.
- Add sugar, stir to melt.
- Add cloves, cinnamon, bay leaf.
- Add drained rice, tomato puree.
- Add approximately 4 cups water (including stock from boiled vegetables).
- Add salt, stir gently, simmer and cook till each rice grain is separate but cooked.
- Drain out any excess liquid in a colander.
- Spread onto a large plate and cool a little.
- Add half the ketchup, chilli sauce and salt if required.
- Gently mix with your hands or spatula to blend flavours.
- Heat remaining oil, add onions and stir fry till golden.
- Add ground paste mixture, remaining sauces, salt and boiled vegetables. Stir and cook till thick.
- Grease ring and mould well with ghee or oil.
- Spread half the rice at the base of the ring mould.
- Spread vegetable mixture over the rice, pressing down gently.
- Spread remaining rice and press gently.
- Cover ring with foil and bake in preheated oven at 200 degree C for 25 minutes.
- Unmould onto serving tray, serve hot and serve hot, with curd or a dip, or even a stew.
Recipe courtesy of Saroj Kering